Automatic fire-shutter.



No. 790,632. PATENTBD MAY 23, 1905. e. F. HALL.

AUTOMATIC FIRE SHUTTER.

APILIOATION FILED APR. 23, 1904.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

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No. 790,632 PATENTED MAY 23, 1905.

G. F. HALL. I

AUTOMATIC FIRE SHUTTER.

APPLICATION IILED APR. 23, 1904.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- v Fig.7

Witnesses 'Invenipr.

, Q er/ I UNITED STATES Patented May 23, 1905.

PATEN OF I E.

GEORGE F. HALL, or PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND.

AUTOMATIC FIRE-SHUTTER} SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent 110,790,632, dated. may 23, 1905. Application filed April 23. 1904. Serial No. 204,614.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE F, HALL, a citizen of. the United States, residing at Providence, in the county of Providence and State one end of the said folding shutter closed in said case or chamber, the latter being shown in vertical longitudinal section. Fig. 3 is a cross-section of one of the guides to direct the movement of said folding shutter in opening and. descending into operative position.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged view, in vertical transverse section, of several of the slats of my improved curtain asseen when partially opened and illustrates the joints or articulations of the same and also the cover or soflit-plate' of the shutter box or case. Fig. 5 is a view in central transversesectlon of a window and winform of the slats of said shutter.

. My invention relates to folding or collapsible fire-shutters which are automatically or' otherwise operated for screening and pro tecting openings in the walls and partitions of buildings against danger by fire and for other similar purposes, said shutters being inclosed when folded or collapsed in thelrinoperative position in a chamber, box, or case.

My invention consists of the novel'construction and combination of the several parts, as hereinafter'described,and specifically set forth in the claims. 4

My improved fire-shutter is so peculiarly constructed that it is capable of folding into a comparatively small space and when so folded and properly assembled within the box or chamber built into the wall of the building is concealed, yet can be released an- Fig. 2 is a view of and sustains the weight of the shutter.

tomatically or otherwise from said position and will thendescend on fixed lines between proper guides and when so extended acts as a screen or curtain to protect the wall-opening over which it hangs.

In the drawings, A represents a metallic fire-shutter, and B the chamber, box, or. case which contains the same when folded up in the inoperative position thereof. As seen in I Figs. 1 and 2, the shutter has a series of studs a a, which studs extend into guides C.

The shutter A whenfolded, as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, is supported in said position by a plate I), which is attached to and forms the bottom fold or slat of the shutter. This plate D serves as a cover for the box or case B by catching one edge thereof over a stroyed, and the plate D, being no longer supported by them, drops by gravity, so that the whole shutter immediately descends, moving in a vertical plane by reason of the studs (0, which engage slidingly with the guides C. In this manner the shutter unfolds until when at rest it covers the whole window or other wall-opening, as appears in Figs. 5 and 6.

The construction of the plate D and of the fusible fastening means is illustrated on an "enlarged scalein Fig. 4. The plate D has a semicircular or how shaped wire riveted thereto and constitutinga hasp. Thish'aspextends through a slot made in the clip a, as'indicated in Fig. 4 by dotted lines. A wedge or fid, made of an easily-fusible metal, is inserted through said hasp beneath this clip 0' wedge is also useful as a removable fastening to enable the lowering of the shutter at any timewhenever desired. I

The shutter A is composed of a number of metallic slats or folds 0, so made and joined This loosely together by hinge-rolls f that when said shutter is folded the exterior surfaces-of said hinge-rolls f lie against each .other,'metal to metal, without any intervening space, as seen in Fig. 1; but when the shutter is unfolded or extended said slats or folds e hang straight and plumb, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6. These hinge-rolls f are made by suitable bends of the sheet metal of which they are constructed, each slat at each longitudinal edge thereof being bent or'curved intoa scrolllike shape,(butleavingasufficientlongitudinal space or aperture,as best seen in Fig.4, and the curved edge of one slat being inserted loosely into the curved edge of the next adjacent slat through said space or aperture, as will be easily understood by an examination of Figsl land 4. In order to secure this important construction, whereby metallic contact can be provided when the shutter is folded as seen -in Fig. 1, the joints must be particularly eonstructed, as shown. Along the entire extent.

of each of the longitudinal edges of each slat isformed an integral continuous hinge-roll by turning or rolling over said edge toward the outer face of said slat in a true are of a circle until the edge approaches closely-to the outside face of the slat, leaving only suflicient open space between said face of theslat and said edge thereof toallow the articulation with said hinge-roll of asimilar hinge-roll'of the next adjacent slat, which is, however, of a smaller diameter in order to fit loosely in the hingeroll of the first-named slat. By this eonstructionand combination the slats so engaged are capable of movement to form accordion folds,

as illustrated in Fig. 1, so that the exterior surfaces of the adjoining hinge-rolls-of each alternate slat are in contact when said slats are in the fully-folded position illustrated in Fig. 1. The engaging hinge-rolls are bent in a true are of a circle from the same center and-differ only in their diameter, (on account of the thickness of the sheet metal,) so that the hinge-roll of one slat may be inserted-end wise into the hinge-roll of the next engaging slat and freely swivel in the spaces between the edge of the roll and the face of the slat, said space, however, being open only enough to allow of the accordion-folding movement -in articulation with the slats serial/11111 to bring the exterior surfaces of all the alternate rolls into contact, metal to metal, when in the fullyfolded position shown in Fig. 1.

The-hinge points or articulationsf for wide openings are reinforced on one side of each alternate slat by a rod g inserted therein and extending the full length of said slat and extending beyond the ends of the slat, which projecting ends of the rod g constitute the guidestuds a, already described as extending into the guides C. For narrow openings, however, theserods g are dispensed with, and in such case the studs a a are formed on the ends of the slats e by extending the metal which forms the hinge-rolls f. The studs a are preferably formed by an extension of the hinge-roll. If desired,the stud may be formed at the center of each slat end instead of at the end of or continuous with the hinge-roll.

.The plate D, forming the cover of the box or case, is riveted to a hinge-roll at one edge, as best shown in Fig. 4. The plate D is flat,

:and when in the position shown in Fig. 1 it practically covers the whole opening on the under side of the box or case B. Along that edge of the plate D which is opposite to the hinge-roll thereof a strip of metal I). is secured, whichaets as a wedge to keep the shutter in place when folded, but also as a weight to start its downward movement of the cover -or:plate D when said cover or plateisreleased from its-confinement by the fusing of the links or clips 0.

The plate D is confined in-place as a-cover of the box:or case B by the forcing of the hinge edge over the lip Iron the box or-ease B and by the clips 0, which are soldered to the under side of the plate D at'points according to the widthof the shutter with solder which will fuse at a comparatively low temperature, the other ends of said clip being inserted in the indentations (l in the rear lower edge of the box or case B.

The hinge-roll 71(see Fig. 1) of-thetopmost slat of the shutter A is when the shutter is assembled forced up and over the'top end of the guideCanddrops back and rests upon the pins jtokeepthe top ofthe shutter in position when said shutter isreleased and-descending.

The guides() are'of full length of the shutter when the latter-is-unfolded. One of said guidesissecured on each jamb of the opening,-and-each guide is made in two-parts, connected as shown at is. The upper end of each guide'C is securedin'position within the box or chamber B by riveting or-otherwise, and the pin 7' passes through the same, as already described.

The case or box B is made of metal-of various thicknesses, preferably with steel anglepieces at or other similar means, so attached or secured that when said box or case is in position, as shown, the under side of the cover or soiiit-plate D is flush or nearly flush with the soflit of the openingwhich the shutter is used to screen. This -box B is inclosed (before the shutter is mounted therein) on all sides except the bottom, and said bottom side is covered bythe soflit-plate D, as already explained. This'box B, with steel angle-pieces m or other structural forms, bolted, as shown, constitutes when placed above a wall-opening alintel therefor forsupporting that portion of the wall or material that bears upon and against it, and so takes theplace and serves the purpose of the usual structural-steel lintel. These and enable it better to sustain the weight of the wall upon or against it. In said case or box B is mounted and supported asprinkler pipe or head W, which is connected with a watersupply pipe and discharges either automatic-.

ally or otherwise jets of water upon the shutter. Said sprinkler is shown in Figs. 1 and 5, and in Fig. 1 it is represented as having its discharge-openings placed at different angles, so that some-of the water-jets are discharged upon the exterior surface of the shutter and than that shown, in Figs. 1 and 4. I do not wish to confine myself to the use of the hingerolls f, though they are preferable to other forms of hinges; but any method of connecting foldable slats for such shu tters is within the scope of my invention.

Instead of using a metallic or other box or case or of forming a chamber in the lintel of a wall-opening a chamber may be built into the masonry of the wall itself above the-wallopening or may be constructed in the material of the wall or formed between two lintels, one of which is behind the other, and in the space so provided my improved shutter may be supported and'folded.

It is not necessarythat the plate I) should be hinged to the shutter to form practically the bottom slat thereof. This plate'(besides serving as a cover to close the .lower side of the box when the shutter is folded) has the function of asupport to hold the shutter up in its folded inoperative position. When the detaining deviceifor said plate is melted or disengaged and the plate D'swings orxdrops in consequence from its horizontal position, it will no longer support the weight of the shutter, and the shutter will then descend by its own weight'and extend itself over the wallopening which it is intended toprote ct. If the plate D is not hinged to the shutter, it is desirable thatjt should be hinged to the box.

Although it is hereinbefore specified that the studs or pins which. enter the grooves of the guideways C project from the cross-rod g or from the hinge-rolls f, the same practicalv result is secured if such studs project from the ends of the slats at or near the center of the said slat ends.

In Fig. 8 is shown a modified form of the slat. In this construction the outer edge of each alternate slat instead of terminating in an evolute curve f is bent outwardly to form a curved hoodextending lengthwise of the slat. The slat is madeof two parts (indicated as n and 0 in said Fig. 8) and fastened together by rlvets or otherwise. The part 0 assembled and completed condition.

has its outer end bent into a scroll-like form to engage the curved edge of the adjacent slat to constitute a loose hinge-joint between them. The advantage of this construction is that the hinge is protected from ice, rain, or snow by the hood, which extends over it from the piece a, yet this projecting hood does not interfere with the hinge in any manner nor with its working.

Instead of making the hood integral with the slat n the slat may-be made as at e in Fig. 4 and the hood may be a separate piece riveted thereto.

It is obvious that the slats 0 may be bent or formed in any suitable manner other than those shown in Figs. 1, 4, and 8. I donot wish to confine myself to the use of the slats e, n, or I); but any form or shape of slat that may be used for foldable shutters is within the scope of my invention.

Instead, however, of having the box or case inclosed or concealed, as before described, in

a lintel or chamber of the Wall, it maybe advisable in adapting my invention to old buildings (or, indeed, to new buildingsin some instances) to use a metallic or other. box or. case which is in sight and suspended orotherwise fastened to the lower side of a'li'ntel. or topo'f a wall-opening; but such a variation would b within the scopeof my invention.

My device, as hereinbefore described, and

shown in the drawings, differs from the prior art in this respect, (among others,) that the folding shutter is mounted in a separate and portable box, so that it is deliverable at the factory already assembled and can be carried to the building where it is to be used in a complete and operative form and condition. Thus it can be at once elevated to its intended .po,

sition and built into the structure in its said In all other similar devices the shutter andits appurtenan'ces must be erected, mounted, and 'made operative in situ. Hence I can secure quicker, cheaper, and more uniform results by furnishing to builders my improved shutters and their case ready-made and adapted for immediate use. Moreover, Iam not only the first to provide such a box as a ready-made case for my improved shutter, but I am also the first to use such a box for a lintel. This box as a lintel is adapted to sustain on itsupper surface the wall ofwood or masonry, and by means of the angle-pieces m, riveted there-. to, it is adapted to support such. portions of the wall as are on the front and rear thereof. This box B is made of wrought, cast, or sheet metal with its parts bolted or otherwise fasthe door or window, but without forming a her or space left in a soflit of a wall-opening or may be placed at the top of the window or door opening wholly exposed, with no part thereof extending into a chamber or space left as above indicated. The bottom of this box or case B may either be a cover hinged thereto or the bottom slat of the shutter may itself constitute said cover, as shown in Fig. 4.

As seen in Figs. 2 and 3, the guide C is made with its inner flange wider than its outer flange, and these flanges are closed at one edge and open at the opposite edge, as best seen in Fig. 3. The studs a extend into the guide C. Whenever a fire occurs, the only places where it can gain access to the window (when the fire-shutter is down and extended) are along the two vertical edges of said shutter; but these places are protected by the sheet of water discharged in front of and behind them by the sprinkler head and pipes. flange of the guide-rail O protects the window-frame or door-frame (against which it is placed) from fire or heat coming in through the open vertical space between the edge of the Shutters a'nd the lip on the end of the back flange keeps said flange away from the frame, forming an air-space between flange and frame as an additional protection from fire and heat. The sprinkler heads or pipes inthe box or chamber are especially useful to flush the guide-rails C with suflicient quantities of water to seal these open vertical spaces between the edges of the shutter and the flanges of the guide-rails Gand said guiderail and also through the long horizontal corrugations of the slats of said shutter. As seen in Figs. 1 and 2, the sprinkler pipe and head are so located in the box or chamber B as to discharge water upon the upper open end of the guide-rail O, a portion of which water flowing down behind the back flange of the guide-rail into said air-space afforded by said lip protects against fire and heat.

I claim asa novel and useful invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent -1. The combination of a box, a fire-shutter mounted therein and a sprinkler pipe or head extending into said box and adapted to discharge water upon said shutter-substantially as described.

2. The combination of a box or chamber, a fire-shutter whose upper end is mounted in said chamber, and a sprinkler pipe or head havingdischarging-apertures directed toward the outer surface of said shutter, substantially as specified.

3. The combination of a box or chamber, a fire-shutter whose upper end is mounted in said chamber, and a sprinkler pipe or head having apertures directed and adapted to dis- The long backcharge water upon the back of said shutter, substantially as specified.

4. The combination of a box or chamber, a fire-shutter whose upper end is mounted in said chamber, and a water pipe or head having two sets of sprinkling-apertures, one of which is adapted to discharge water on the front of the shutter and the other of which isadapted to discharge water at the same time on the back of the shutter, substantially as specified.

5. The combination of a box or chamber, a folding fire-shutter fastened at its upper end therein and adapted to unfold automatically, and a plate loosely connected with said shutter at its lower end and constituting acover for said box or chamber on the lower side thereof when said shutter is folded and wholly contained in said box or'chamber, substantially as specified.

6. The combination of a box or chamber, a folding shutter fastened atits upper end therein, a lip formed on one lower edge of said box and an indentation near the opposite edge of said box, and a plate loosely connected to the shutter at the lower end thereof and consti-' tuting a cover for said box on its under side,

which plate rests on one edge upon said lip and is provided with means of engaging said E0; in said indentations, substantially as speci- 7. The combination of a box, a folding shutter fastened at its upper end therein, a lip formed on one lower edge of said box, an indentation on another lower edge of said box, a plate loosely connected with the shutter at the lower end thereof and constituting a cover for said box on its underside, which plate has one edge resting upon said lip, and a fastening device made of or connected by an easilyfusible material and engaging said box in said indentation, substantially as specified.

8. The combination of a box, a folding shutter fastened at its upper end therein, a lip formed on one lower edge of said box, an indentation on another lower edge of said box, a plate loosely connected with the shutter at the lower end thereof and constitutingaeover for said box on its under side,which plate rests upon said lip, and an automatic releasing device engaging said box in said indentation, substantially as specified.

9. The combination of a box, a folding shutter fastened at its upper end therein, a plate loosely connected on one edge with the bottom of said shutter a weight secured to the plate on or near its opposite edge, means of supporting the plate at its connected edge in contact with the box, and a releasing device adapted to support said plate at its opposite Ere; edge upon the box, substantially as speci- 10. The combination of abox, ahinged folding shutter fastened at its upper end therein, a plate covering the open bottom of said box and adapted to sustain the weight of said shut- IIO ways, substantially as specified.

.ter when the latter is in its folded position,

and means adapted to support said plate upon the bottom of said box comprising a releasing device whereby said plate may be disengaged from the box, substantially as specified.

11. The combination of abox, twovertical grooved guideways mounted therein facin and opposite each other at the ends of said box, a shutter composed of loosely-jointed horizontal slats,a plate loosely joined along one edge to thebottom slat of the shutter and constituting a'cover for the box on the under side thereof, means for temporarily engaging said plate in a horizontal position against the lower edges of said box, a transverse pin in the upper portion of each guideway, and a cross-rod connected with the upper edge of the top slat resting upon both pinsof said guideways and confining the upper end of the shutter in a fixed position withinsaid guide- 12. The combination of a box, two vertical grooved guideways mounted therein facing and opposite each other at the ends of said box, a shutter composed of loosely jointed horizontal slats and adapted to unfold automatically, and .studs extending from and integral with said slats at both ends thereof into. the grooves of said guideways respectively, substantially asv specified.

13. The combination of a box, two vertical grooved guideways mounted therein facing and opposite each other at the ends of said box, a shutter composed of looselyjointed horizontal slats and adapted to unfold automatically, a cross-rod mounted on said shut-. ter intermediate its ends, and having the ends thereof extending beyond. the edges 'of I the shutter into said guideways, substantially as specified.

14. The combination of a plurality of slats each having its two opposite longer edges rolled over throughout their entire extent in scrolls or curves exceeding one'hundredand eighty degrees in extent and united with its adjacent slat by inserting the scroll of one into the scroll of the other, whereby all the slats of the shutter are adapted to form' accordion folds in contact with the'others sariatz'm, metal to metal, when the shutter i closed, substantially as specified.

15. In a fire-shutter, the combination of two slats whose contiguous longitudinal edges are loosely connected by hinges, and means adapted to protect said hinges from the weather, substantially as described. I

16. In a fire-shutter, the'combination of two slats whose contiguous longitudinal edges are loosely connected by hinges, and a longitudinally-bent hood secured at one longitudinal edge thereof to one of the slats and extending freely over said hinges, substantially as described.

17. The combination-of a box, a folding jointed and formed on both long edges of each I slat or fold and along the entire extent of said edges that when the shutter is closed, the exterior surface of the joints of said slats lie in contact, metal to metal, and when said shutter is fully extended saidslats hang practically in .a vertical direction, substantially as 1 specified.

18. The combination in a folding shutter of slats jointed along their entire longitudinal edges, whereby when said shutter is folded the slats lie in contact in series, studs or pins extending from the sides of said slats, and

grooved rails for guiding said slats on fixed lines when the shutter is folding or unfolding, substantially as specified.

19.- The combination with awall-opening of a folding shutter, and a metal shutter-box provided with steel angles or structural shapes so bolted or secured to said box that when said box is in position its under side together with .its soflit-plate is flush or approximately flush are melted the cover is automatically released and causesthe shutter to descend and unfold by gravitation, substantially as specified.

21. The combination with a wall-opening of a building, of a shutter-box extending across said wall-opening on the upper end thereof, two grooved vertical guide-rails extending the full length of said opening, a folding shutter composed of horizontal slats having hingerollsand provided with studs which enter loosely'into the grooves of said guide-rails, each of said guide-rails being made of two abutting sections in alinement and united just below the bottom edge .of said box, a pin near the top of each upper section of the guide-rail so placed that the upper hinge-roll of the top slat slides up over the upper ends of. the upper sections of the guide-rails and drops down resting upon said pins and serves to hold the 1 top of the shutter in place when the other portions of the shutter are descending, substantially as specified.

22. The combination with the wall-opening of a building, of ashutter-box placed at the topvof said opening, a folding shutter composed of jointed horizontal slats and mounted at its top within said box, vertical grooved guides on the two vertical sides of the wallopening, studs extending from said shutter into the grooves of said guides, a soflit-plate or cover for the bottom of said box jointed on one edge to the bottom of the shutter, and

means to hold the same flush or nearly flush with the bottom of said box, which means include a fastening device made of or connected to said plate or cover by an easily-fusible metal, substantially as specified.

23. The combination of a box or chamber, a folding fire-shutter fastened at its upper end therein and adapted to unfold automatically, and a plate constituting a cover for said box or chamber on the lower side thereof when said shutter is folded and Wholly contained in said box or chamber, substantially as specified.

24. The combination of a box or chamber, a folding shutter fastened at its upper end therein, a lip formed on'one lower edge of said box or chamber, an indentation near the opposite edge of said box or chamber, and a plate constituting a cover for said box or chamber on its lower side, which plate rests on one edge upon said lip and is provided with means of engaging said box or chamber in said indentations, substantially as described.

25. The combination of a box, a folding shutter fastened at its upper end therein, a lip formed on one lower edge of said box, an indentation on another lower edge of said box, a plate constituting a cover for said box on its under side, which plate has one edge resting upon said lip, and a fastening device made of or connected by an easily-fusible material and engaging said box in said indentation, substantially as specified;

26. The combination of a box, a folding shutter fastened at its upper end therein, a lip formed on one lower edge of said box, an indentation on another lower edge of said box, a plate constituting a cover for .said box on its under side, which plate rests upon said lip, and an automatic releasing device engaging said box in said indentation, substantially as specified.

27. The combination of a box or chamber, a folding fire-shutter fastened at its upper end therein and adapted to unfold automatically, a lip formed at one lower edge of said box or chamber, indentations near the opposite edge of said box or chamber, and a plate constituting a cover for said box or chamber on its lower side, which plate, supporting said shutter whenin its fully-folded position, is hinged on one edge to said lip and is provided with means of engaging said box or chamber in said indentations, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE F. HALL.

Witnesses:

WARREN R. PERCE, HOWARD A. LAMPREY. 

